The Soft Sailhank is a non-corrosive and lighter alternative to the typical stainless steel hank. The sailhank is used to replace a hefty, stainless steel connection for the staysail and jib on sailing vessels. The Soft Sail hanks guarantees that the Carbon/PBO/Kevlar stay is less compressed.
The Soft Sailhank is a non-corrosive, lightweight alternative to the conventional steel hank. Sailing vessels utilize the sailhank to substitute a big stainless steel staysail and jib connection. The Soft Sailhank guarantees that the Carbon/PBO/Kevlar stay is not compressed.
Soft hanks are lighter, stronger, and safer than metal hanks, and they have a similar lifespan. They may be used to replace practically any steel shackle on-board and are typically composed of a single braid, polyurethane coated with a diamond stopper knot.
Benefits of soft sail hanks
- When compared to stainless steel counterparts, this product is extremely light.
- Weight loss of 70 to 80 percent
- The connection that is quick, easy, and dependable
- It’s simple to remove and never binds, even after a heavy load.
- Abrasion resistance is excellent.
- There is no rusting.
- They speak naturally.
- Remove the need for extra metallic toggles.
- Self-adjusts to the load angle
- Flexibility – a single soft shackle may be utilized for various tasks.
- Reduce the amount of damage to the mast, rigging, deck, and sails.
How to choose between single line and twin line shackles
There are two types of soft shackles: those that resemble a single line with the diamond knot at one end and an eye splice at the other (that can be opened to slip over the knot); and those that have the eye splice found bypassing the line through itself, leaving the shackle’s body as x2 individual lines.
They’re composed of the same material and have the same strength qualities; the only difference is the manufacturing method. Which kind to choose is mostly a matter of personal opinion, but at upffront.com, we advocate the twin line version for two reasons: first, we feel they are a bit simpler to open/close, and second, blocks tend to rest more securely on the two lines since they can move about more equally.
Maintenance and replacement
Because your soft shackles are watertight and corrosion-resistant, they require extremely little maintenance. Assuming the bearing surfaces are smooth, the fiber should experience negligible abrasion.
The life of the shackle, like that of all rigging parts, is principally determined by the normal operating load as a proportion of its specified break load. A shackle operating at 25% of its break load, for example, will survive twice as long as one working at 50% of its break load.
Shackles should be examined regularly and removed once a year for a thorough visual check. If the fiber appears to be fluffing, it should be replaced, and as a precaution, we recommend replacing it every 3-5 years, depending on use.
In conclusion, You should consider switching to soft shackles and sail hanks on your boat if you haven’t already. It’s quick and easy to alter, and it’s a reasonably low-cost improvement with a lot of performance and ease-of-use benefits.
